I have been tidying up this weekend i.e moving things from one part of the garden to another. Out of sight and all that!
I've also been planting seeds in seed trays over the past few weekend and they are sprouting nicely. Obviously it is the 'wrong' time of year, will this have any negative effects on the plants later on? They are mainly hardy perennials and are in a bright lean-to type room which is usually around 15-20°.
I haven't sown any new seeds in the past week or two due to lack of sunlight and shorter days GaryR. I did sow some a month or two ago which have germinated and I transplanted some of these tiny seedlings into individual pots today, but I know that I must not water them often or they will become waterlogged and attract aphids and probably die. Having said all that your lean-to-type room is slightly warmer than my GH/conservatory, so you may well get away with it - would be interesting to see what others say here.
Finally got some digging done on the 1/2 plot thought it would be too sticky but it was ok having removed all the surface weed a few days ago helped dry it out. No gardening today as hard frost which wont lift by the time I have to leave for the school run for grandchild this pm.
Lots of little odd jobs today including moving some of my bulb patio pots into their final positions, just a little greenery showing in them except for the tulips - nothing and the blue grape hyacinth that have green flopping around but no flowers yet.
Collected more pine cones and twigs blown down over night. Pruned a potted cat mint hoping it will grow again next year as the cat loves nibbling on it. Collected up some dried castor oil beans and potted up 3 Amaryllis that arrived in the post as bulbs yesterday.
It was bitterly cold out there in the wind, but we decided to start planting the new border (from removal of old dead hedge) with a few potted plants. It isn't freezing here and I doubt if it will this side of Christmas, so with a bit of luck and some good management we hope these plants will grow on over the years. Today's group was a silk tree, a white hebe and a ceanothus (blue flower) a geum Lady Stratheden yellow flower and an astilbe red flower. No colour co-ordination there, but if they grow I will be pleased and I hope the bees will be too. Before we planted we dug in some horse manure, half rotted leaves, grit and peat to help enrich and break down the heavy soil that we have here.
We also finished shredding our twigs and small branches and now have 6 bags of woodchip to spread on the big flower bed once I have finished tidying it up.
Bought some reduced price bagged manure this AM, think I'm the only one buying it but I am slowly reducing their pile Some of it is for the pear tree border, bit dry there, two climbing roses at the back.
I've got an action plan for that border now, removed the red crocosmia, that can go in the front, am replacing with a couple of new heleniums I don't have yet, various nepetas, geums, potentillas that have been evicted from elsewhere and an orange croc I got given years ago which isn't as tall as the reds.
Planted 120 allium sphaero, probably the best allium to plant as you can pretty much just chuck them on the ground, in bogs and all sorts ? Ordered some allium violet beauty in a sale also, I can't remember if I've tried them before and they were unreliable...
Bagged up some woodchip and discarded plants to take the the allotment tomorrow to help fill a trench I've dug, also loaded the car with cardboard to chuck in as well.
Think I'm in a happy position of having found homes for all the plants I want to keep, except a shasta, don't know why I keep buying and making them.
Some bare root oriental poppies turned up even as I typed, best get back out and pot them up I suppose.
You are busy Victoria - it is great to have a plan and visualize the finished work - spurs me on to have a plan too.
Sorry to be repeating myself - I got carried away on the weather site. OH digging my 'new' veg. patch (more like a line or two, nothing too strenuous. I collected small stones as he unearthed them. S-in-law delivering logs to friend - three journeys so far.
Checked on my Sweat pea seeds that I took from this years spent plants and they have germinated! So excited! Onion seeds have yet to show signs of sprouting though.
Not aloud to do any heavy lifting, bending or digging at the moment (in the thick of round two of IVF - please let it work!!) so have been doing observational gardening today. First time ever of leaving annuals in that have gone over. Itching to tidy up!
Filled the bird feeders - empty by lunch time.
Looked through photos of the garden in summer. Something to look forwards to!
Had a general tidy up. Removed yet more leaves from the lawn and patio. (Taken a while to drop this year) Our magnolia still has a few stubborn leaves which refuse to drop.
Had a good sweep round and congratulated myself on how tidy the garden looks now.
Looking to do some final weeding, digging over beds then hoeing and raking followed by lawn edging as long as the dry spell continues. Then it'll probably be feet up time and let winter move on!
All the best Tootles, I've heard it can be pretty grueling??
Today I planted some red crocosmia that I dug up yesterday, into the front garden. They are a mix of lucifer and emberglow if I remember correctly. They look the same to me, planted a chunk on each side to give a vague idea of symmetry.
Ordered some plants, as a Christmas present for me and the bees. Decided I might get away with persicaria in a small area of the front garden that never looks good. Ordered white, a light and a dark pink to sit behind some small grasses, pheasant tail and a NZ one I think, the name of which I've forgot.? Have an idea to put shastas at the back to lighten it up as it can look a bit dark, but one thing at a time.
Posts
I have been tidying up this weekend i.e moving things from one part of the garden to another. Out of sight and all that!
I've also been planting seeds in seed trays over the past few weekend and they are sprouting nicely. Obviously it is the 'wrong' time of year, will this have any negative effects on the plants later on? They are mainly hardy perennials and are in a bright lean-to type room which is usually around 15-20°.
I haven't sown any new seeds in the past week or two due to lack of sunlight and shorter days GaryR. I did sow some a month or two ago which have germinated and I transplanted some of these tiny seedlings into individual pots today, but I know that I must not water them often or they will become waterlogged and attract aphids and probably die. Having said all that your lean-to-type room is slightly warmer than my GH/conservatory, so you may well get away with it - would be interesting to see what others say here.
Finally got some digging done on the 1/2 plot thought it would be too sticky but it was ok having removed all the surface weed a few days ago helped dry it out. No gardening today as hard frost which wont lift by the time I have to leave for the school run for grandchild this pm.
Lots of little odd jobs today including moving some of my bulb patio pots into their final positions, just a little greenery showing in them except for the tulips - nothing and the blue grape hyacinth that have green flopping around but no flowers yet.
Collected more pine cones and twigs blown down over night. Pruned a potted cat mint hoping it will grow again next year as the cat loves nibbling on it. Collected up some dried castor oil beans and potted up 3 Amaryllis that arrived in the post as bulbs yesterday.
It was bitterly cold out there in the wind, but we decided to start planting the new border (from removal of old dead hedge) with a few potted plants. It isn't freezing here and I doubt if it will this side of Christmas, so with a bit of luck and some good management we hope these plants will grow on over the years. Today's group was a silk tree, a white hebe and a ceanothus (blue flower) a geum Lady Stratheden yellow flower and an astilbe red flower. No colour co-ordination there, but if they grow I will be pleased and I hope the bees will be too. Before we planted we dug in some horse manure, half rotted leaves, grit and peat to help enrich and break down the heavy soil that we have here.
We also finished shredding our twigs and small branches and now have 6 bags of woodchip to spread on the big flower bed once I have finished tidying it up.
Bought some reduced price bagged manure this AM, think I'm the only one buying it but I am slowly reducing their pile
Some of it is for the pear tree border, bit dry there, two climbing roses at the back.
I've got an action plan for that border now, removed the red crocosmia, that can go in the front, am replacing with a couple of new heleniums I don't have yet, various nepetas, geums, potentillas that have been evicted from elsewhere and an orange croc I got given years ago which isn't as tall as the reds.
Planted 120 allium sphaero, probably the best allium to plant as you can pretty much just chuck them on the ground, in bogs and all sorts ? Ordered some allium violet beauty in a sale also, I can't remember if I've tried them before and they were unreliable...
Bagged up some woodchip and discarded plants to take the the allotment tomorrow to help fill a trench I've dug, also loaded the car with cardboard to chuck in as well.
Think I'm in a happy position of having found homes for all the plants I want to keep, except a shasta, don't know why I keep buying and making them.
Some bare root oriental poppies turned up even as I typed, best get back out and pot them up I suppose.
You are busy Victoria - it is great to have a plan and visualize the finished work - spurs me on to have a plan too.
Sorry to be repeating myself - I got carried away on the weather site. OH digging my 'new' veg. patch (more like a line or two, nothing too strenuous. I collected small stones as he unearthed them. S-in-law delivering logs to friend - three journeys so far.
Checked on my Sweat pea seeds that I took from this years spent plants and they have germinated! So excited! Onion seeds have yet to show signs of sprouting though.
Not aloud to do any heavy lifting, bending or digging at the moment (in the thick of round two of IVF - please let it work!!) so have been doing observational gardening today. First time ever of leaving annuals in that have gone over. Itching to tidy up!
Filled the bird feeders - empty by lunch time.
Looked through photos of the garden in summer. Something to look forwards to!
Had a general tidy up. Removed yet more leaves from the lawn and patio. (Taken a while to drop this year) Our magnolia still has a few stubborn leaves which refuse to drop.
Had a good sweep round and congratulated myself on how tidy the garden looks now.
Looking to do some final weeding, digging over beds then hoeing and raking followed by lawn edging as long as the dry spell continues. Then it'll probably be feet up time and let winter move on!
All the best Tootles, I've heard it can be pretty grueling??
Today I planted some red crocosmia that I dug up yesterday, into the front garden. They are a mix of lucifer and emberglow if I remember correctly. They look the same to me, planted a chunk on each side to give a vague idea of symmetry.
Ordered some plants, as a Christmas present for me and the bees. Decided I might get away with persicaria in a small area of the front garden that never looks good. Ordered white, a light and a dark pink to sit behind some small grasses, pheasant tail and a NZ one I think, the name of which I've forgot.? Have an idea to put shastas at the back to lighten it up as it can look a bit dark, but one thing at a time.